BattleTech: Instrument of Destruction: Ghost Bear's Lament, Part One by Steven Mohan Jr

Author:Steven Mohan Jr. [Jr., Steven Mohan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs

8

Corinne put down the map and looked up. No. What? What had Richard just said? For a moment she thought she had heard wrong, that her ears had deceived her. But then she saw the postures of the two men, legs splayed, arms held away from their bodies, hands clenched into fists, eyes narrowed, faces blank.

Ready to fight.

She slowly stood. What is this?

“Just where do you think you are going?” growled Cote. Corinne could see the Star Colonel leaning forward on the balls of his feet, his muscles tensed, ready to strike.

Richard drew a deep breath. “Where would you go, Star Colonel? If you were not so hurt that you could barely stand, where would your duty compel you to go?”

For a long moment the two men stared at each other.

And then something extraordinary happened. Cote looked away. “The ’Mech Bay,” he whispered. “My duty calls me to the ’Mech Bay.”

And suddenly she saw it, saw all of it, where Richard was going, what he was doing. He had already half-convinced Cote.

Once again, Richard had flanked her.

“Wait,” said Corinne, desperately trying to find a way to stop it, “we need you here.”

Neither man looked at her, neither acknowledged her words. Richard stepped up to Cote. “Our brothers and sisters are trapped down there, likely battling for their survival. I know you burn to fight alongside your warriors, sir. But you have a concussion, you struggle just to hold on to consciousness, to draw a breath into your scarred lungs.”

“Star Commander,” Corinne snapped, trying to punch her way into the conversation. “You still work for me, quiaff?”

Richard turned to look at her and there was something in his eyes, something distant. “Aff, Star Captain.”

“My foot and wrist are broken,” she said. “I can barely stand. And Tomas is half-dead. We need you here.” She pointed up into the towering height of the sideways passageway. “And the ’Mech Bay is that way. You would face an ugly climb to even reach it.”

Richard shook his head. “You make my point for me, Star Captain.” He turned to look at Cote. “Your people are dying, sir, and who can you send in your place to save them? Not Tomas and not Corinne. Only I am healthy enough to go.”

Cote slowly shook his head. “I can see the blisters forming on your hands, Star Commander. I can hear the whistle of your breath through your broken nose.”

“But I have no concussion, sir, no fractured bones.” He glanced down at poor, suffering Tomas. “No internal bleeding. I am battered, but I am not broken. How can I flee when my brothers and sisters struggle for their lives?”

Cote shook his head. “Star Commander, you have shown extraordinary bravery and ingenuity in the face of terrible tragedy. But you are hurt. There is no need for you to—”

“There is a need!” Richard roared.

“There is no need for you to atone for your defeat today,” said Cote gently.

Richard slashed his hand through the air, cutting apart Cote’s words. “Neg, Star Colonel.

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